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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29481990">On the Precipice of Change</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsmithMusings/pseuds/WordsmithMusings'>WordsmithMusings</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Evil Author Day, F/M, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Not Beta Read, Not Brit Picked, Rare Pairings, Soulmate AU, marriage law, teaser</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:55:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,038</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29481990</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsmithMusings/pseuds/WordsmithMusings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This year for his birthday, the Wizengamot has sorted out all of Neville Longbottom's presents - a wife and his title. Wasn't that nice of them. </p>
<p>or</p>
<p>A Marriage Law Fic with a Soulmate Twist</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Neville Longbottom/Pansy Parkinson</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Evil Author Musings</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On the Precipice of Change</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I got the idea last year while struggling with my big bang project. I made a pretty for it and wrote this and set it aside. I don't know when I'll finish it or who the other pairings will be, but I still love this idea and hope to bring it to life. </p>
<p>Grammarly is my editor and all mistakes are my own. </p>
<p>It's not my ocean, I just swim in it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Neville Longbottom stood looking out at the sea before him. He wasn't sure what he had expected to happen for his day, but this certainly wasn't it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sighing, Neville sat down on the edge of the boardwalk. Carefully he rolled up his navy suit legs before removing his complimenting socks and brown dress shoes. Staring out at the water, he stuffed his socks into his shoes. The sand was cold between his toes, but he didn't care. Standing, Neville took a deep breath, allowing the salt-tinged air to fill his lungs. He wasn't nervous, not really, he just was. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Today was his wedding day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or so the Ministry told him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tomorrow was his birthday, and though he'd only be 25, he was at his majority in the wizarding world. He would be expected to take up his mantle as Lord Longbottom of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Longbottom, the Marquess of Hardwick at the rapidly apporachingWizengamot meeting. Along with his title, he was expected to present his new bride to the Wizengamot. It was a shock to the system when he processed it as a chain of events, but Neville had long given up trying to make sense of it all. Of his “lot in life,” as his Gran referred to it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neville had been a lot of things growing up. He was one of the prophesied ones. The Chosen One That Wasn't. He wasn't the boy that lived. He was the boy that struggled. The boy that doubted. Not a poor orphan boy, but a boy that lived with ghosts and in the long shadow of a living memory that stared blankly back at him through the dull and vacant eyes of his parents. On the precipes of 25, Neville Longbottom was a war hero. He wore the titles Order of Merlin 1st Class, Snake Killer, and his least favorite, the Boy Who Slayed. He understood now how Harry hated all of the weird monikers and found himself detesting the wizarding world's desire to hyphenate everything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not that all their titles did either of them any good when the Wizengamot decided their world was in danger yet again and passed a marriage law for all Magicals ages 18-35. It didn't matter if you were in a relationship. If you weren't married or in a betrothal contract, you were to present yourself to the Department of Ministries to seek out the Book of Souls.  Hermione had pitched a bigger fit about the secret of that book than she had about the actual marriage law. It was a little known fact that every magical person had a soul mate. The book's use had dropped out of favor during the early 1900s when it was confirmed that not all soulmate matches were of two magical people. In fact, a great many lines during that time were matched with Muggles and Muggleborns, to the great shock and chagrin of those that would later form the Sacred 28. In the midst of scandals and disinheritance, the book had been locked away in the DoM, relegated to the love room, to be dissected the way amortentia was. Pureblood families arranged marriages for their families, and to hell with faltering birth rates or increased births of squibs. The lines were pure, and that was all that mattered to some. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Neville approached the water as he thought of his own trip to the Book of Souls. Every person was granted the option of seeing their match directly or having it placed in a sealed envelope. Neville had chosen the latter, not wanting to know who his partner was. He still didn't know, actually, despite the late hour. He'd simply written a note for his match, telling them that he would see them on their wedding day - </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Tell me when and where,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> he had written,</span>
  <em>
    <span> "and what you'd like me to wear. I don't want anything large. Keep it simple, please. Our honeymoon will have but one delay, as we will be required to present ourselves at the Wizengamot for confirmation of our marriage and our new titles. After that, I request a few months of your time - to know you, and you, me. I will honor you and be faithful to you. I will give you everything I can - including a child and happiness if you will have it, but I will make no demands of you or ask you to give me anything you do not wish to - including your heart. As such, I have decided that should you wish to continue with this. I will wait until our wedding to know your name. Whatever you wish, I will forever be yours."</span>
  </em>
  <span>  He'd sent the letter off with his owl and been surprised when his owl returned three days later bearing a simple letter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>"I would like to write you, learn of whatever interests I can beforehand, but understand if you do not wish to. I'd like a beach wedding, at sunset. If you send back your measurements, I will have a suit made for you. I can't say I understand your reasoning to keep who I am a surprise, but I will respect it. As for the rest,"</span>
  </em>
  <span> her letter had paused, and Neville could see the change in her handwriting, </span>
  <em>
    <span>"I will be faithful to you. You are my perfect match, given to me by our Lady Magic. I will honor it, and you. I will be faithful to you and provide you with as many heirs for your line as you wish. My time and my heart are yours. Treat them well, I beg you. I am more fragile than I seem, and the trust I have in you will likely be my undoing."</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He'd sent back his measurements and flowers from his greenhouse - charmed to never wilt and continually bloom, for her bouquet, and asked if she wanted any of his family jewels for her wedding ensemble at his Gran's request. She had replied with a no thank you to the jewels, praise for the flowers, and a date, time, and location for their wedding. </span>
</p>
<p>So here he was, standing on the precipice of change waiting to meet his wife and start a new chapter of his life. </p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! If you like this one let me know, and if there's a marriage law rare pair you'd want to see thrown in the mix drop it in the comments below. Much love friends! xx</p></blockquote></div></div>
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